The present invention relates generally to wall panel systems, and more particularly, to a cover which conceals the space between a floor and a bottom edge of a support panel mounted to a wall panel.
The cover may be used with a support panel of a type described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/588,364, filed Sep. 25, 1990, and the support panel may be mounted to a panel system of a type described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/596,352, filed Oct. 12, 1990, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/580,300, filed Sep. 10, 1990, or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/670,240, filed Mar. 15, 1991, the disclosures of which are specifically incorportated herein by reference.
In some panel systems, a work surface extends horizontally from a vertical wall panel. If the worksurface is relatively small, a bracket or strut provides a sufficient brace. If the worksurface is large, however, vertical support panels may be required to provide the necessary support for the worksurface. Such support panels generally extend perpendicular from the wall panel. These panels may also be used to support the wall panel system itself, especially if there are numerous wall panels in the system.
In order to accommodate for variations in the height of a floor, the support panels often have an adjustable glide extending from a bottom edge thereof. To provide access to the glide so it can be adjusted, the bottom edge of the support panel is usually spaced apart from the floor. This space tends to be unattractive and also detracts from the privacy of a workstation by allowing noise, drafts, etc. to enter from outside the workstation.
A vertically adjustable wall panel is disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,101 (Propst). In order to adjust the height of the wall panel, an adjustable bolt is provided which is connected at one end to the wall panel and at the other end to a foot assembly. The adjustment bolt is externally threaded in opposite directions so that when the bolt is turned, the wall panel moves vertically relative to the foot assembly. To conceal the adjustment bolt, elongated covers are pivotally attached to the wall panel. In order to gain access to the adjustment bolt, the covers are pivoted outward. In addition, the covers move vertically with the wall panel, and the foot assembly remains on the floor when the bolt is turned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,559 (Dickson), a bottom edge of a wall panel is connected to a channel having side flanges and inner guide flanges extending downwardly parallel to the panel. A bottom plate rests on a floor and has upwardly extending flanges which slideably engage the channel guide flanges. A threaded fastener cooperates with the channel and bottom plate to vertically adjust the wall panel. There is no apparent means for gaining access to the fastener. Since the bottom plate remains on the floor when the panel is vertically adjusted, both the bottom plate flanges and the channel side flanges act as covers which conceal the space between the panel and the floor.
A vertically adjustable post assembly for use with a wall panel system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,131 (Brockway). A square sleeve, which is positioned about the lower end of the post assembly to act as a cover, remains on a floor when the post is vertically adjusted from underneath the floor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,463 (Dixon), a portable wall panel system is disclosed in which a vertically adjustable, channel shaped seal assembly is provided for engagement with a floor. When the seal assembly is raised by turning an adjustment bolt, a ball caster engages the floor to rollingly support the panel on a floor. In this raised position, there is an open space between the panel system and the floor. To provide access to the adjustment bolt, a recess is formed in the wall panel.